Compression machine



o. G.PA'rcH 2,414,550

COMPRESS ION MACHINE Jan. 21, 1947.

Filed Feb. 13, 1945 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 'lfv Pck Wfl/@ l 14,121,194?. QGPATCH 2,414,550

, COMPRESSION MACHINE]k Filed Feb. 13, 1945 `4 sheeis-Sheet 2 Jan; l21, 1947.

o.v G. PATCH COMPRESSION MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 13, 1943 3mm/m fafa/ Jan. 2l, 1947.` o. G. PATCH COMPRESSION MACHINE Filed Feb. 13, 1945 Sheets-Sheet 4 011m 6 Pdf@ In GWW Patented Jan. 21, T947 UNITED STATES musst CMPRESSION MACHINE Orin George Patch, Coulee Dam, Wash.

Applicationrliebruary 13, 1943, Serial No. 475,815

20 Claims. l

My invention relates to improvements in compression machines, and particularly to a machine intended and adapted for testing the compressive or crushing strength of columnar or other test specimens of concrete, stone, or other breakable materials. Y

An object of my invention is to provide a machine that is light to the point of being readily transportable, can be simply and cheaply constructed, is easily operated by application of only manual force, or light power equipment, to attain high pressures and apply compressive forces sufficient to stress the specimen to failure to obtain a true record of the pressure applied, free from uncertainties as to loss due to friction in pistons or other mechanism, and which also has other desirable characteristics not found in other types and combinations of machines as heretofore employed. l

Another purpose is to so construct the parts specimen through opposed compression, portions by parts floating or supported on a uid well whereby these parts are readily and freely movable to automatically adjust and adapt to the angle of the ends of a test specimen, Vthus assuring a uniform and uniformly distributed fluid pressure over the entire area of the compression portion and avoiding lateral stresses that might otherwise occur if the plane at either end of the test specimen is not exactly normal to its longitudinal axis and the torce is applied through a bearing that remains normal to its line of movement. 4

Another object is to provide a machine of this character in which initial movement or adjustment of the parts to the force applying or stressing positions is readily and quickly accomplished by manual manipulation of mechanically operatingparts, following which very high pressures are obtained with a minimum of'eiort or work, through accumulation oi compressive fluid forces by the use of small readily manually operable pumps, or light power mechanism.

Still another object is tovprovide a machine of thistype in vwhich a relatively small amount of fluid is employed without the` use of pistons with rings' or packings or other parts that might generate. friction or allow leakage of iiuid; and which requires only a few hundredths of an inch or other very slight fractional movement, readily generated through manuai manipulation of the pumps, to apply exceedingly high pressures suiiicient to stress a specimen to failure, and in fact pressures much higherthan can be ordi- 5 of this ,character in which determinations of the force required to stress the specimen'to failure can be ascertained by indications of the iiuid pressure applied to or accumulated from the compressive force borne between the Aopposed l compression portions of the specimen, thus permitting showing or translation of Athe actual uid pressure to indicate the pounds per square inch of the specimen being tested, or any other desired information orldata.

l With the above and other objects in view,

some of lwhich will be apparent to those skilled in the art and others of'which are inherent in the construction and'operation and use of the apparatus, my invention includes certain novel features of construction and combinations and that the compression force is applied to the arrangements and associations' of parts which will be set forth in connection With the drawings and then pointed out in the claims.'

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a' machine constructed in accordance `with my invention. f Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view.

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the machine.

3o Fig. 4 is a top plan view ofthe upper plate.

Fig. 5 s a top plan View of the lower base or supporting plate. Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View showing iluid confining construction.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing one of the pump connectionsand associated fluid ducts.

Fig. 8 is a top plan View of one of the adjusting nuts.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional View through the adjusting nut. Y

Fig. l0 is a view in elevation of one of the adjusting nut driving gears. l

A supporting base plate LAwhich isoisumcient size and thicknessand mass to support4 the loads orstresses to whichthe Inachinefwill be subjected hasthe threaded lopenings 2, 3 and t formed therethrough and preferably spaced substantially equally outwardly toward the periphery to thus leave the middle area of this base sup-l erably tightened onto the lower ends of these uprights or rods to thus rigidly and iixedly secure the several rods 5, 6 and `1 in upright substantially parallel extension with respect to the vsupporting and base plate I.

The upper ends of the several uprights or rods 5, 6 and 1 are externally screw-threaded, as at 9, for a length suflicient to provide for an appreciable length of an adjusting screw; and, an upper platek member I4 is movably mounted on the several rods andis held in desired spaced relation with respect to the supporting base plate or member I by adjusting means, which will be hereinafter more fully described, working upon the screw-threaded portions 9. v

The upper plate or member I0, as perhaps best shown in Fig. 4, has openings` I I-,l I2 and- I:3 therethrough of size and spacing to slidably receive the threaded portions 9 of the uprights or rods 15, l6 and 1, and a supporting Iframe plate I4 mounted on the top of and7 spacedv above said upper plate or member I0, through the medi-um of cap bolts I and spacing sleevesl I6, has reg-- istering openings I1, I8 and I9 adapted to also slidably receive the threaded portions 9- of the uprights or rods'5, 6 and 1. Y

Adjusting nuts' 20, one of which is shown in i greater detail in Figs 8 and 9, are turned onto the threaded portions y9 of the several uprights or rods 5, 6 and 1, with their lower faces bearing against the upper side of the upper plate or member I0. Ball bearings 2I can be interposed between the supporting frame plate i4 and the adjusting nuts 20 to reduce friction. Adjusting gears 22, one of which is shown in greater detail in Fig. 10, are mounted and. xedly held on each of theV adjusting nuts 26, and in the present instance I have shown the nuts 20 as provided with pin receiving openings 23 and the adjusting gears 22 as having registering openings 24 adapted to receive-,pins 25. by which the adjusting clamping nuts and the gears are substantially fixedly connected to revolve tcgetherfv An operating spindle 26 is re-volubly mounted in substantially centered relation between the upright rods 5, 6 and 1', and an operating crank handle 21 is provided for manual rotation of this operating spindle 26. An. operating gear 28 is fixed on thev operatingAV spindle 26. to rotate therewith, and transmission gears 29, 3D and 3l are revolubly mounted around this operating gear 28 and in mesh therewith, and also in. mesh with the adjusting gears 2,2 for the several adjusting-nuts 20A of. the: upright. rods 5, 6 and 1. With the adjusting parts as just described, rotation of the operating spindle 26 through the medium of the operating cran-k 21 will cause simultaneous rotation of the. adjusting` nuts 20 on the upright rods 5, 6 and 1, so that the upper plate or member I0 can be thus manually raised and lowered with respect to the supporting base plate or member I and the parallelism of the opposed faces thereof will be maintained.

The supporting base plate or member I has a fluid Well 32 in the upper face thereof, and a fluid. Well 33v is. provided in the. lower face of the upper plate or member Ill. Adiaphragm 34 is` secured over-the fluid well 32 by a clamp ring 3.5 held in place by cap screws 36, and the fluid well 33 has a.- similar diaphragm 31 secured over the open side thereof by clamp ring 38 held in place by cap screws or bolts 39. yA pressure gauge 40 isy carried by the upper plate or member I D in position to be readily visible. to the user or operator of the machine, and a iiuid duct or passage'4l establishes communication from the fluid well 33 to this pressure gauge 40. The fluid gauge 40 can be marked or calibrated 'to indicate fluid pressure or to translate into pounds per square inch or other compression force indications; and, a second iiuid operating gauge 42 can be connected in any desired manner to be responsive to fluid pressure within the chamber 33. In the present instance I have shown this second ii'uid gauge 42 as having connection with the iiuid duct orv passage 4I and have illustrated a valve 43 inserted for opening and closing the line. A pressure plate 44, of less diameter than the transverse measurements of the fluid well 33 is disposed on the outer side of the diaphragm 314 and is held movably in place by clips 45, and is free totilt.

A pressure plate 46 is disposed on the outer side of the diaphragm 34, to be tiltably movable within the opening of the ring 35, under 'increases of fluid pressure in the. well 32 causing distending of the diaphragm 34, and this. pressure plate 45 can be held against removal by clips `41. In the use of-the machine` stressing force upon the specimen will be accomplished by increasing the uid .pressure in Well 32, and this pressure can be built up through increase in liquid or gaseous or other suitable fluid. pressures. In the present instance I have illustrated a liquid reservoir 48 as carried at one sidey of the supporting and base plate I with liquid passages 49 and 50 leading therefrom to compression pumps 5I and 52 Which are connected with the fluid well 32 by liquid passages 53 and 54. These liquid pumps 5I andv 52 can be of any desired or suitable construction that will supply to the well 32 through the passages 53 and 54 liquid under pressure as taken through the passages or ducts 49 and 50 from the reservoir 43, and' in thev present instancethese pumps are illustrated as being of the piston type with operating handles 55 and 56 extending in spaced, relation so that the operator or user can grasp a handle in each hand and can by manual manipulation supply liquid or `Iiuid from reservoir 48 under pressure to the fluid well 32, thereby expanding the diaphragm 34 to exert upward pressure through pressure `plate 46. To permit release of pressure, a return uid passage 51 is provided from fluid well 32 to the reservoir 48, and` a valve 58 is provided to control this return passage. A iloat actuated or other indicating means 59v can be provided to indicate or show the level of liquid within the reservoir 48. e

In the present instance I have shown the specimen 60 as being of substantially cylindrical columnar form, as for instance a test cylinder specimen substantially six inches by twelvev inches, such as is commonly employed in specimen testing of concrete and other materials. With such a specimen the ends are presented as opposed compression portions, and I have here shown shot caps 6I and, 62 fitted upon the ends of the test specimen 69, it having been -found that such caps having shot or other movable pellet-like particles therein as at 63 and 6-4 will uniformly distribute the pressure. upon the compression portions of therspecimen 60. These shot caps 6I and 62 are thus presented to engage the outer opposed faces of the pressure blocks 44 and 45. Any other standard method of capping may be used. To substantially center and align the specimen 6D, centering screws 65 and 66 can be provided on arms or supports carried by the pressure blocks 44 and To insure fluid-tight connection and mounting of the diaphragms 34 and 31 over the open outer sides of the fluid Wells 32 and 33, the gripping or clamping portions of the clamp rings and the plates can be shaped to bite upon or grip the edges of the diaphragms, somewhat after the manner shown in Fig. 6, where the plate IIJ has annular ribs or bead-like formations 61 and 68 and intermediate grooves against which the diaphragm 31 fits, the ring 38 being also provided with annular ribs or bead-like portions 69 and 10 so that the edge portion of the diaphragm is clamped and is securely held against likelihood or possibility of being displaced r of yielding to permit iiuid leakage.

In the use of my improved machine, the adjusting crank handle 21 will be manually operated to turn the adjusting nuts 20 to unscrew thev same with respect to the several upright rods 5, 6 and 1, so that the upper movable plate or member l0 is raised sufficiently to permit placement of the specimen 60 between the pressure plates 44 and 46. By reverse manipulation of the adjusting crank handle 21, the adjusting and clamping nuts 20 are screwed onto the rods 5, 6 and 1 at uniform speed and the upper plate or member I0 is moved down to engage the opposed compression portions of the specimen 6D between the outer sides of the pressure plates 44 and 46. Since the adjusting nuts 20 are rotated simultaneously and at the same speed, the upper movable plate or member I0 will be at all times maintained in a parallel plane with respect to the base or supporting plate I; and, since this mechanical adjustment is only an initial adjustment and is not intended for application of maximum specimen stressing pressure, the friction of the adjusting nuts 20 on the threaded portions 9 of the rods 5, 6 and 1 will be substantially negligible. Further, the antifriction bearings at 2| will tend to relieve and obviate any possibility of objectionable frictional forces or resistances.

After theupper movable plate or member Ill has been thus mechanically and manually adjusted through the initial stage, the operator can manipulate the handles 55 and 56, thus actuating the pumps and 52 and supplying fluid from reservoir 48 through passages or ducts 53 and 54, under uniformly increasing pressure, to the fluid well 32. With the initial adjustment attained through theadjusting nuts 2D, it will require only a few hundredths of an inch upward movement of pressure plate 46 to stress the specimen to failure, and since well 32 is fluid tight, the pumps 5| and 52 can consequently be small in diameter, and a very high pressure can be obtained and With the test conducted in the manner set forth, readings or indications can be observed on one or both of the fluid actuated gauge or indicating means and 42, and in some instances it may be desirable to have the gauge means 42 for more accurately indicating `the lower pressures with the gauge 40 constructed and adapted to indicate higher pressures when valve 43 is closed, and with the two gauges available for checking of one against the other to obviate errors due to one or the other of the gauges becoming inaccurate.` Upon completion of the test, valve 58 can be manipulated to open the discharge through passageway 51 and liquid or uid in fluid chamber 32 will then iiow back into reservoir 48, relieving the pressure and making it possible for the operator to freely manipulate the adjusting nuts 20 through actuation of the adjusting crank handle 21. Should the ends of the specimen be notin exactly parallel planes, or either end be at an angle with the normal to the axis of the cylindrical specimen, the fluid wells and the iiexible diaphragms permit the pressure plates 44 and 46 through which the compression force is transmitted to the specimen to conform to the angle of the ends or compression portions Without appreciable strain, and the ap plied pressure is henceforth uniformly distributed over the two end areas, thus insuring against localized or unequal application of stressing force. It will be appreciated that the diameter of the upper compression plate 44 may be such that its area is just double that of the six inch diameter test specimen,'in which case and proportion the pressure operated gauge structure may be calibrated so that it reads double the actual uid pressure per square inch, and then the resulting gauge reading will be the actual load per square applied to the specimen with a minimum of l manual effort or work. When the pressure within fluid well 32 is thus increased, diaphragm 34 is distended to exert compression force through pressure plate 46 to the lower end of the specimen 60, and this force is transmittedthrough the and transmitting the fluid pressure to one or both fluid actuated gauges 40 and 42, The pres- 'ing said uid well, means tiltably supported by sure plates 44 and 46 are freely tiltable within the clamping rings 38 and 35, and there will inch as exerted upon or borne by the six-inch diameter specimen, For specimens of other diameters and shapes or forms, conversion charts or calibrations or a simple computation is all that will be necessary to give the converted pressure in pounds per square inch. Obviously, the

fluid operated gauge structures 40 and 42 can be calibrated in various other manners and to any desired unit or measurement.

While I have herein shown and described only certain specic embodiments of my invention and have set forth only certain possible uses and have suggested only certain specific changes, it will be appreciated that many changes can be made in the form, construction and assembly of the parts and in the manner of using the machine and of computing or measuring to attain any desired result, without departing from the spirit and scope of `my invention.

I claim:

1. In a compressionmachine adapted for use upon a specimen having opposed compression portions, a flexible yieldable fluid sustained disclike diaphragm, Vmeans tiltably supported by said diaphragm and adapted to receive and angularly conform to one compression `portion of a specimen, means to apply compression load to the specimen, and means to measure the compression force applied to the specimen.

2. In a compression machine adapted for use upon a specimen having opposed compression portions, a fluid well,a disc-like diaphragmclcssaid diaphragm and adapted to receive and angularly conform to one compression portion of a specimen, means `to apply compressive force through the opposed compression portions of the 7 specimen, andi means; to mdi'cate. fluid pressure within the well resulting fromA compressive force exerted upon` the diaphragm.

3. In a compression machine, means whereby compression portions of: a specimen to be' tested arev held between two members tiltably held upon exible .diaphragms which are supported on fluid wells, means to apply pressure to the specimen through increase of uid pressure in one of said wells, and means to indicate the pressure so applied.

4. In al compression machine adapted: for use upon a specimen adapted to beheld between opposed compression portions, means tiltably held upon a yieldable fluid sustained flexible diaphragm adapted to receive andA angularly conw form to one of the compression portions of the specimen a support for the other compression portion, and means to. increase the fluid pressure on the inner side of theV diaphragm and. consequently on the specimen.

5. In a compression testing machine adapted for testing a specimen having opposed compression portions, two spaced apart yieldable iluid sustained diaphragms having supported thereby tiltable means adapted to receive and angularly conform to the opposed compression portions of the specimen, means to increase the fluid pressure back of one of said uid sustained diapnregms, and means to measure the compression force applied to the specimen.

6. In a compression testing machine adapted for testing a specimen having opposed compression portions, a pair of spaced fluid wells, flexible yieldable diaphragms closing said fluid Wells, means tiltably supported by said diaphragms to bear again-st the compression portions of the specimen and give an angle conforming floating mounting of said specimen, and means to apply compression force to said Specimen beWeSn the diaphragme,

7. In a compression testingmachine adapted for testing a specimen having Vopposed compression portions, a pair of spaced uid wells, flexible yieldable diaphragme closing said fluid wells, means tiltably supported by-said diaphragms to bear against the compression portions of the spebimen and give an angle conforming floating mounting of said specimen, means to apply compression force to said specimen between the diaphragms, and means measuring through the fluid pressure the compression force applied to the specimen.

8. In a compression testing machine adapted for testing a specimen having opposed compression portions, a pair of spaced fluid wells, neXible disk-like diaphragms closing said uid wells and adapted on their outer middle portions to bear the force of compression portions and give a floating mounting of said specimen, means to increase the huid pressure at one diaphragm, and means to measure through the increase of fluid pressure at the other diaphragm the compression force applied to the, specimen.

9. In a compression testing machine adapted for testing a specimen' having opposed compression portions, a supporting structure, uid wells carried by said supporting structure in spaced relation, exible disk-like diaphragms closing said fluid wells and adapted on their outer middle portions to bear the force of the compression por-` tions of a specimen being-tested, means to increase the uid pressure behind one of said diaphragms, and means to indicate the resultant variation in. fluid` pressure behind the other -diaphragm.

10. In a compression testing machine adapted for testing a specimen having opposed compression portions, a supporting structure, spaced iiuid wells adjustably caried by said supporting structure, means for varying the spaced relation of said wells, diaphragms closing saidv liiuid wells, bearing members carried on the outer middle portions of said diaphragms and spaced apart a distance to` bear the opposed compression portions of the specimen, and means to measurethrough the fluid pressure increase Vbehind one of said diaphragms the compression force applied to the specimen.

' 11. A compression testing machine adapted for testing, a specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a base plate, an upper plate, means holding said plates in spaced facing disposition, fluid wells in the opposed faces of said plates, diaphragms closing the outer sides of said fluid wells, means to move said plates relatively to support the force of the compression portions of the specimen upon said diaphragms, and means 'to measure through the fluid pressure increase behind one of said diaphragms the compression force applied to the specimen.

12. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a specimen having opposed compression portions, comprising a base plate, an upper plate, means holding said plates in spaced facing disposition, iluid wells in theopposed faces of said plates, diaphragms closing the outer sides of said iiuid wells, means to move said plates relatively to support the force of the compression portions of the specimen upon said diaphragms, means to increase the fluid pressure behind one of said diaphragms with consequent increase of compression force upon the specimen, and means to measure through the increase of fluid pressure the compression force applied to the specimen.

13. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising ra base plate having a uid well in the upperiace thereof, guide rods rising from said base plate around the wellfan upper plate movable on said guide rods and provided with a fluid well on its under face, diaphragms closing the outer sides of said fluid wells, the wells being of greater diameter than corresponding diameter of the com-pression portions of the specimen, means on said rods for moving the upper plate toward the base plate and thereby exerting compressive force on said specimen between the diaphragms, and means measuring through the increase of fluid pressure the compressive force applied to the specimen. o

14. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a base plate having a fluid Well in the upper face thereof, guide rods rising from said base plate around the well, an upper plate movable on said guide rods and provided with a uid well on its under face, diaphragms closing the outer sides of said uidwells one or both of the Wells being of greater diameter than corresponding diameter of the compression portions of the specimen, means on said rods for moving the upper plate toward the base plate and thereby exerting compression force on said specimen between the diaphragms., means to increase. they duid, pressure behind one of said diaphragms, and gauge means actuated by variations in the fluid pressure to indicate compression force applied to the specimen.

15. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression lportions comprising a base plate having a fluid well in the upper face thereof, guide rods rising from said base plate around the well, an upper plate movable on said guide rods and provided with a iluid well on its under face, diaphragms closing the outer sides of said fluid wells, means on said rods for moving the upper plate toward the 'base plate and thereby exerting compressive force on said specimen loetween the diaphragms, pump means to increase the uid pressure behind one of said diaphragms, and gauge means connected with the fluid well behind the opposed diaphragme to indicate throughvariations in fluid pressure the compression force applied to the specimen.

16. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a base plate having a fluid well in the upper side thereof, guide rods projecting upwardly from said base plate around the fluid well and having their upper ends externally screw threaded, an upper plate having a uid well in its lower side and provided with openings through which said upright guide rods have sliding fit, diaphragms mounted over and closing the open sides of said i'iuid wells, screw means on the threaded ends of said guide rods for urging said movable plate toward said base plate and exerting compression force through said diaphragms upon a specimen interposed therebetween, and means to measure through the increase of fluid pressure in one of said fluid wells the compression force applied to the specimen.

17. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a base plate having a iluid well in the upper side thereof, guide rods projecting upwardly from said base plate around the uid well and having their upper ends externally screw threaded, an upper plate having a fluid well in its lower side and provided with openings through which said upright guide rods have sliding fit, diaphragms mounted over and closing the open sides of said iiuid wells, screw means on the threaded ends of said guide rods for urging said movable plate toward said base plate and exerting compression force through said diaphragme upon a specimen interposed therebetween, a fluid pump for increasing fluid pressure in the well of the base plate and exerting force behind the diaphragm thereof, and gauge means connected with the well of the upper plate indicating through resultant variations in the fluid pressure of the Well the compression force applied to the specimen.

18. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a Vbase plate having a fluid well in the upper face thereof, guide rods rising from said base plate around the well, an upper plate movable on said guide rods and provided with a iluid well on its under face, diaphragms closing the outer sides of said fluid wells and of greater dimensions than corresponding dimensions of the compression portions of the specimen, means on said rods for moving the upper plate toward the base plate and thereby exerting compressive force on said specimen betweenthe diaphragms, pump means to increase the fluid pressure behind one of said ldiaphragms, bearing plates disposed on fluid floating engagement on the outer sides of said diaphragms and between said diaphragrns and the specimen, means for increasing the fluid pressure behind one of said diaphragmeI to exert compressive forces on said specimen through the bearing plates, and means connected with one of said fluid wells indicating through variations in the fluid pressure the compressive force applied to the specimen.

19. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a supporting structure, means carried by said supporting structure to apply pressure through the opposed compression portions of the specimen, cup means at the compression portions of the specimen having therein a shifting media comprising plurality of substantially non-compressible bodies such as a plurality of loose pellets to shiftably conform to and accommodate irregularities in the compression portions of the specimen, and means to indicate compression force applied to the specimen.

20. A compression testing machine adapted for testing a columnar-like specimen having opposed compression portions comprising a base plate having a fluid well in the upper side thereof, guide rods extending in upright relation from said base -plate around the fluid well thereof and having their upper ends externally screw threaded, an upper plate provided with openings slidably receiving the screw threaded ends of the guide rods and said plate having a fluid Well in the middle portion thereof opening in relation opposed to the fluid well of the base member, diaphragms mounted over the open sides of said fluid wells, a pressure plate on the upper side of the diaphragm covering the lower fluid well, a pressure plate bearing against the lower face of the diaphragm covering the fluid well of the upper plate and of less transverse dimensions than the fluid well whereby said pressure plate is given a floating mounting, threaded clamping nuts turned onto the upper threaded ends of said guide rods above the upper plate, means for simultaneously turning said clampingl nuts to engage a test specimen between the upper and lower compression plates, a fluid pump for increasing the fluid pressure in the fluid well of the base plate and behind the diaphragm thereof, and a iluid gauge connected with the fluid well of the upper plate. f

ORIN GEORGE PATCH. 

